Paisley Daily Express - 25 January 2012

Bus Fare Worries

Communities throughout Renfrewshire depend on reliable and affordable bus services. So far Alex Salmond has refused to take effective action to guarantee services. The big bus companies don’t want it and Alex Salmond changed his previous policy and now backs the bus companies. Perhaps he was influenced by the £5000, 000 donation made to the SNP by Brian Souter, owner of one of Scotland’s biggest bus companies? Who knows?

I have held talks recently about two concerns affecting bus services in Renfrewshire. McGill’s buses are to take over Arriva in Renfrewshire. At the moment both companies compete on major routes. A number of constituents have contacted me to express fears that the removal of competition might lead to fare increases. I have asked for assurances that this won’t happen.

The second concern is that Alex Salmond’s SNP Government has decided to cut the Bus Operator’s Grant by 20% from April. The Confederation of Passenger Transport has already warned that fares could rise and services could be cut. This will hurt the people who can least afford it. We’ve already seen fares in Aberdeen rise by 8.5% and Renfrewshire could be next.

That’s why Labour forced a debate on this last week in the Scottish Parliament. Unfortunately we heard the usual blandishments and no promises to help areas like Renfrewshire.

The Scottish Epilepsy Centre

I recently attended a briefing by Quarriers about their plans for a new Scottish Epilepsy Centre, based in Glasgow, but also serving Renfrewshire. The centre would be a welcome boost to the NHS and it would help to complement the work being done by Epilepsy Scotland. Forty thousand people in Scotland have epilepsy. Anyone can have a seizure and in fact one in 20 people do. That doesn’t mean they have epilepsy. I hadn’t realised it, but epilepsy can develop at any age. One of the problems which confronts people with epilepsy is the lack of knowledge and sometimes fear, displayed by those who have to deal with someone having an epileptic fit.

If you want to know more about epilepsy the Epilepsy Scotland can provide factsheets and guides to help. Call their helpline on 0808 800 2200

Woodland Primary School

Often we only hear about the things which go wrong. We sometimes don’t take enough time to celebrate achievement and there is plenty of that across my constituency. I recently read the  inspector’s report on Woodlands Primary School in Linwood. All the indicators were either very good or excellent. It was heartening to read that the children are learning very well and are achieving highly. The report talked of a positive ethos in the school. It also spoke of high-quality level of care and education. Well done to everyone at Woodlands Primary.

Unemployment Crisis

Alex Salmond likes to take credit in the Scottish Parliament when things are going well. He is not so keen to take responsibility when things go wrong. It’s always the fault of someone else. Recent figures showed that Scotland has higher unemployment rate than elsewhere in the UK. Unemployment has hit 8.6 % and youth unemployment has increased by a staggering123.3%. Every day for the past three months, 200 Scots have lost their jobs. The figures hide the real human costs brought about by rising unemployment. Last summer Alex Salmond said “the economic policy of the Scottish Government in delivering and is continuing to create and safeguard jobs across our communities”. Well if 200 people losing their job every day is “delivering”, then God help us all if the Scottish Government stops “delivering”. Perhaps it’s time that Alex Salmond put as much effort into tackling unemployment as he is putting in to separating Scotland from the rest of the UK.

Castle Semple – Centre of Excellence

Well done to Castle Semple Centre for receiving recognition as Scotland’s first Royal Yachting Association (RYA) “Sailability” Centre for Excellence in Scotland. The award acknowledges that the Centre has the equipment and trained staff, to accommodate people with a wide range of disabilities. The Centre has received support from local sailing and windsurfing clubs as well as the Rotary Club of Gryffe Valley. It reminds as of the fantastic facility which we have, right here on our doorstep.

Short Changing Renfrewshire

Yet again Renfrewshire Council has received one of the lowest grant awards from Alex Salmond’s Government. Consistently the Council has been at the bottom end of the table as money is given out to Council’s. This money is what pays for the vital services in education and care, and for filling in potholes. We have an SNP led Council that can shout at the UK Government for wanting to close Coastguard Stations (none of which are in Renfrewshire, obviously). Why then is the Council less keen to shout at the Scottish Government for short changing Renfrewshire. 

Paisley Daily Express - 11 January 2012

Independence Referendum

The Scottish Parliament last week returned after the Festive break to an immediate argument about am independence referendum. We know the SNP wants to separate Scotland from the rest of the United Kingdom. It’s also clear that Alex Salmond won an overwhelming victory in last year’s elections. Although many people who voted SNP don’t support separation, they knew they were voting for a Party which promised a referendum on independence. The issue is when should a referendum be held and what should the question be?

Alex Salmond says he has a mandate to hold a referendum in the later stages of this Parliament. But why delay if he is so confident? And also why talk about nothing else for the first 6 months of Government? And what exactly will be asked? Voters deserve to know that the question will be clear and unambiguous. And we also need guarantees that whatever happens, the process will be legal and definitive. If people are to be asked about Scotland leaving the UK, we need to know the exact terms, the costs, and the implications. We can’t take such a significant decision without knowing the facts.

At a time when youth unemployment is going through the roof, and family budgets are being squeezed, we need to focus on what concerns ordinary Scots. Surely it’s time for Alex Salmond to spell out the details and let us decide? It’s time to stop the dithering and uncertainty.

Weather Chaos

The Paisley Daily Express has reported on the damage caused by severe weather, right across Renfrewshire. A year ago we were having to cope with the consequences of snow and ice. This year it was hurricane force winds and rain. The response from power company engineers, and emergency and caring service staff has been fantastic. While most of us were grumbling about the weather, they made sure services were restored and maintained and help given to those who needed it.

Fair pay for teachers

Despite their promises, Alex Salmond and the SNP have cut teacher numbers by around 3, 000. On top of this they forced through a pay agreement to cut the wages of supply teachers who are brought in to cover for sickness and other absences. A supply teacher can earn less than half of a full time teacher they are working beside. As a result, teachers are turning down supply teaching and this is causing problems in Scotland’s schools. At the same time the SNP wants to train more new teachers despite failing to offer jobs to those who have been trained.

There is real anger among teachers about cuts and the slashing of pay to supply teachers is just rubbing salt in the wound. It’s time to play fair by our teachers and pay supply teachers the proper rate for the job.

Smoking cessation

Smokers will tell you just how difficult it is to stop smoking. The chemicals in cigarettes are highly addictive. Apart from the health dangers caused by smoking, the costs are huge and could be better spent. For those who are determined to kick the habit, help is at hand. Weekday and evening sessions are available to help those who want to stop smoking. If you want advice and help to stop smoking call 01505 821316. As well as this, community pharmacies across Renfrewshire are offering one to one support for smokers who want to stop. I know from talking to ex smokers who have given up the habit, that this is a decision they have never regretted. 

Child Poverty

Alex Salmond is so obsessed with the breakup of the United Kingdom and his pursuit for independence that he has taken his eye off the ball with the real issues that matter to Scotland. The new figures from the Campaign to End Child Poverty shows that nearly half of Scottish local authorities now have wards where over 30% of children live in poverty. Here in Renfrewshire it is at 19%. It is a stark reminder of the scale of the challenge we face as a country in tackling child poverty. It should be an urgent wake-up call for the SNP government, that has let child poverty increase on its watch, to redouble its efforts. It is nothing short of a disgrace that one in five children in Renfrewshire has to live in poverty.

Paisley Daily Express - 13 December 2011

Misleading Press Releases

In 2007, Alex Salmond and the SNP promised to maintain teachers numbers at the level delivered by Labour. In 2007 there were 55,100 teachers in Scotland’s schools. Today there are 51,441 teachers, a drop of 3,659. I was astonished to see a press release produced by civil servants on behalf of SNP Ministers which said “Target on teacher numbers met”. When Alex Salmond and the SNP realised that they could not deliver the promise which had been made, they cobbled together a new and lower target. Well, what do you know, they have been able to meet this lower target! All thoughts of what they promised the electorate have conveniently been forgotten.

Barrhead Health Centre

Last week I attended the opening of the magnificent new Health Centre in Barrhead. The centre brings together a number of services and will be a real boon to people living in Barrhead and Neilston. Councillor Jim Fletcher the Leader of East Renfrewshire Council reminded those attending of just how long it can take to bring a project to completion. The funding was put in place in 2006 and given the go ahead by the then Labour Health Minister, Andy Kerr. The two local Labour Councillors who guided the project, Danny Collins and Roy Garscadden, both left East Renfrewshire Council in 2007. Barrhead Community Council first promoted the case over six years ago!

I know it has been frustrating for the Council and the local community in having to wait so long. I’m sure that anyone seeing this new Health Centre will agree that it is well worth the wait. Well done to East Renfrewshire Council for pushing the Health Board and Scottish Government to make this a reality.

Knife Crime – not just a Christmas problem

I welcome the proposals from the Crown Office to ensure that anyone arrested and prosecuted for carrying a knife, will be tried before a Sheriff and Jury. This could lead to the maximum sentence rising from one year in prison to four years in prison.

Knife crime still blights too many families in Scotland. The best way to avoid someone being scarred or killed by a knife, is to make sure that the young men who carry knives, stop doing so. Tougher sentencing will send out the message that this will not be tolerated.

So why then, is this welcome new initiative only operating over Christmas and New Year? Knife crime happens in Scotland 52 weeks a year. I hope that the Crown Office will think again. Tackling knife crime should be an all year round effort, not a Christmas “special”.  

Euro or Not?

Alex Salmond is being unusually coy about whether an independent Scotland would have to join the Euro. He won’t publish the legal advice. Catherine Stihler the Labour Member of the European Parliament for Scotland, was refused the information. She has been forced to appeal to the Information Commissioner for help. What is Alex Salmond trying to hide.

Most people are of the view that any new member state would have to join the Euro. In fact the SNP has supported joining the Euro if Scotland became independent. Now Alex Salmond is trying to kid people on that an independent Scotland could still keep the pound sterling. Of course this would mean that Scotland would have no influence at all over a monetary policy designed purely for the rest of the UK. So what’s the point of independence? If Scotland kept the pound sterling, it would have no control over its monetary policy. We need to know if an independent Scotland would have to join the Euro. More than that we need to know if Alex Salmond wants to join the Euro. If not then he should tell us why Scotland’s currency and monetary policy would be controlled by a foreign country after Scotland leaves the UK? Perhaps Alex Salmond intends to create a new currency for Scotland. Perhaps it’s time to dig out your old Scottish groats?